Climate talks in Cancun could see the agreement of new rules that allow the formal inclusion of carbon emissions from peatlands in national greenhouse gas reduction figures.
Such an agreement would allow Scotland, which contains 60% of the UK’s peatlands, to reduce emissions by 2.7 million tonnes per year through restoring bogs.
In a Scottish Parliament debate on 'Investing in the future of Scotland's peatland's on 4th November the Scottish Government Environment Minister, Roseanna Cunningham said:
“We hope that the United Nations conference in Cancún next month will agree a method for wetland management. We will review the scope to develop our greenhouse gas inventory when that deal has been reached.”
IUCN UK Peatland Programme director Clifton Bain said:
"There is a new proposal in discussions on land use that will allow countries to include the restoration of damaged peat bogs in carbon reduction targets. The impact of all of the past damage to the peat bogs is emitting carbon into the atmosphere. If the bogs are mended, that can help significantly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands."
NOTES
1. The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) UK Peatland Programme exists to promote peatland restoration in the UK and advocates the multiple benefits of peatlands through partnerships, strong science, sound policy and effective practice. The work of the Peatland Programme is overseen by a coalition of environmental bodies including the Scottish Wildlife Trust, John Muir Trust, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, RSPB, North Pennines AONB, Moors for the Future and the University of East London. The Programme is funded by the Peter De Haan Charitable Trust. For more information visit; www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org
2. Read Wetlands International’s report On AFOLU, ‘wetland management’ and the road to land-based accounting here.
3. Peatlands cover less than 3% of the land surface of the Earth yet they contain twice as much carbon as the world’s forests. Damaged peatlands are responsible for at least 7% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. The UK has the 17th largest peatland area, out of 175 nations with peat deposits and is in the top 20 countries with the most damaged peatlands. Remedial action currently being undertaken in the UK to restore peatlands could set a leading example worldwide.
